Alignable pulley



June 3, 1947. A. CROT ET AL 2,

ALIGIABLB PM I'llod July 26, 1944 2 2 INVENTORS.

HoazirREmmr Patented June 3, 1947 ageless Andre Grot, North F llollywohtL' unti 1 Robert: RI

Riehoit, Tuinnganflalih, assignorsdo lmakhced" Aircraft Corporation, Burbank iiclaimsz This invention relates to pulleys, and relates more particularly to adjustable or 'alignable pulleys. v j

In the control systems of aircrait and in other installations where cables operate over pulleys,

the proper alignment of the pulleys has always constituted a problem. Where the pulleys have fixed mountings or bearings, it isdiflicult to ob tain the correct alignment between the'axe's' oi rotation of the pulleys and the planes oio'peration of the cables Any appreciable misalignment results in excessive friction in the system and wear of the cables and pulleys, and often necessitates removal and re-setting of the pulleys. Alignable pulleys have been suggested to overcome this diillculty, but they have had certain disadvantages which preclude their acceptance by the industry. The alignable pulleys that have heretofore been suggested are not entirely self-contained, but embody loose or separate parts which require assembling at the time the pulleys are installed. Where a multiplicity'oi pulleys is to be arranged in a gang or group, it is often impossible to assemble these loose parts of the individual pulleys. Furthermore. the prior alignable pulleys are subject to vibrating loose by reason of the limited areas of contact between the parts which are depended upon to maintain the required alignment.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a simple. practical and thoroughly dependable alignable pulley. The pulley of the invention is easily aligned with respect to its cable, subsequent to its installation. and where a plurality of the pulleys has been installed in a gang on a single mounting shaft or bolt the pulleys may be readily adjusted individually to be in correct alignment with their respective cables.

Another and important object of the invention is to provide an aiignable pulley oi the class above referred to that is entirely self-contained to be conveniently handled and installed as a unit with no separate or loose parts necessitating individual handling and installing. The pulley oi the invention embodies an anti-friction bearing and clamp washer assembly whose several elements are all retained together on the pulley so that there is but one unit to assemble on the supporting shaft or bolt. The unitary nature of the pulleys materially simplifies their installation, partlcularly Where they are mounted in gangs or groups. The manufacturer of the pulley assembles all of the parts into one assembly which remains a single unit during packaging, transporting and installing in its final operative position.

22 :1 .5 Another oniect ot tiieinventibn is to prov-ide an alignable pulley character xererredwto in Whichthe anti'viridtion bearing l einainszseaied at all times toretain iubricant and to preventtne entrance ot'i'oreign matter. i'fhezpuliey :isrharacteri'zd by retaining "firings which 'hoidrthe clamping washers *in the assembled relation. and also-shield andseal the :bearing.

i Another-outset Mithe'dnvntionis m provide an alignable pulley ini'whiehithd-cobperating clamps ing partssiorholding the pulley'ihits-alignedlpo sition, present extensive ni'eas'of ccntact'toeflectively rsistshiiting iofithe pulley iromlits proper alignedsposition even whemsubiect to heavy vibrationb --.i =r J Another object of the invention is to provide an alignablexpulley in: which. the bearing assembiy and the: mounting .hubconstitute a compact assemblage and: present. plain: flat and surfaces suitable Jor engagementpwitlr the corresponding surfaces or adjacent pulleystor the surfaces or the mounting bracketsn 1 '1 i A further. obiect ofi-the'inventioniis toprovide an alignable pulley that issimple and inexpenisive to manufacture, emb0dying a relatively few simple parts.

Other objects, and advantages oiv the invention will become apparent-Irbmxthefollowing detailed description Ofy-HJ tyipisfl rn e erred embodiment wherein reference willbel -made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is an elevation view of a pair oi puileys of the invention mounted in a suitable bracket, with portions of the pulleys broken away to appear in vertical cross section;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed sectional view 0! the hub and bearing portion 01 one of the pulleys;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the inner bearing member;

Figure 4 is an end view of the bearing member;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of one of the hub washers;

Figure 6 is an end view of the Washer;

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of one of the retaining rings; and,

Figure 8 is an end elevation of the retaining ring.

The pulley oi the invention comprises a rim or body iii having a groove ii in its periphery for the reception of the cable. The construction material and configuration of the pulley body iii may vary considerably in different applications. In the present case it may be assumed thatthe body it is a one-piece member constructed of gether with other pulleys. The fact that the pulleys are each permanently assembled in a single unit, well suits them for installation in si uations where the pulleys occur in gangs or groups. In the typical case illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing, there is a pair or the pulleys mounted in a more or less typical bracket. The bracket has an attaching base 28 and two spaced outstanding arms 29. The rrms 29 have ali ned openings 30 receiving the pulley supporting bolt H. In mounting the pulleys, they are first positioned betvv cell the bracket arms 29 and the bolt I1 is passed through the openings 30 and the tubular hub members l3. Assuming that the bracket has :een installed in its final position, the cables to be operated ove. the pulleys may be rigged and engaged in the grooves ll of their respective pulleys. The pulleys may be tentatively aligr d with respect to their cables and tension is then applied to the cables. with the tension maintained on the cables, the pulleys are readily aligned individually by merely manually tilting or rocking them to their correct positions with respect to their cables. As above described, the flared or tapered walls I! of the openings in the hub members l3 allow this tilting of the pulleys. When the pulleys have been brought into correct alignment with their cables, the bolt I! is tightened by screwing up its nut 31. This tightening of the bolt ll securely clamps the pulleys in the correctly aligned positions, the washers being clamped against the ends of the hub members i3. The extensive cooperating surfaces 2! and 2! of the members it and their washers Ill assure the positive retention of the pulleys in alignment with their cables. 'It will be observed that the hub members I3 and the washers 20 space the pulleys from the bracket arms 29 and from one another so that their rims do not interfere or engage the bracket.

Thus it will be seen that we have provided alignable pulleys that may be easily mounted and aligned with their cables. There are no separate or loose parts to complicate the installation operations and little or no possibility of the pulleys becoming displaced or shifted from their properly aligned positions. The pulleys may be constructed to be light in weight and yet capable of assuming heavy loading and are therefore well adapted for use in aircraft.

Having described only a typical form ofithe invention, we do not wish to be limited to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to ourselves any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art or fall within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A self-contained alignable pulley for arrangement on a support comprising a body, bearing means on the body capable of angular adjustment on the support, clamp members for acting on the bearing means to preserve the ap gular adjustment thereof, and retaining rings operatively securing the clamp members to the bearing means to form elements of the selfcontained pulley.

2. A self-contained alignable pulley for arrangement or, a support comprising the assembly of a body and bearing means on the body capable of angular adjustment on the support, members for clamping against the bearing means to maintain the angular adjustment thereof, and rings on the bearing means for retaining the members in position for operation and to form elements of the pulley assembly.

3. An alignable pulley tor arrangement on a support comprising a pulley body, bearing means in the body including relatively rotatable inner and outer bearing members, the members being capable of'angular adjustment on the support to allow alignment of the pulley. washer elements for clamping against the ends of the inner member to secure the pulley in the aligned position, and retainers on the outer member for retainin the washer elements in position at the ends of the inner member to constitute permanent parts of the pulley. M 4. An alignable pulley for use on a support comprising a pulleybody, bearing means on the body including a bearing member capable of angular movement on the support to allow angular movement oi' the pulley to a selected position. the member having spherically curved convex and surfaces, clamp washers having spherically curved concave surfaces for cooperating with the first named surfaces to hold the pulley in the selected angular position with respect to the support, and rings carried by the bearing means, the washers and rings having interfltting surfaces for retaining the washers on the pulley.

5. An alignable pulley for use on a support comprising a pulley body, bearing means on the body including a bearing member capable of angular movement on the support to allow alignment of the pulley, the member having spherically curved convex end surfaces, clamp washers having spherically curved concave surfaces for cooperating with the first named surfaces to hold the pulley in the selected angular position with respect to the support, rings on the bearing means, and inter-engaging spherically curved parts on thr. washers and rings for retaining the washers on the pulley assembly.

6.. An alignai. J pulley for use on a support comprising a pulley body, bearing means on the body including inner and outer bearing members related for relative rotation and anti-friction elements engaged between the members, the inner member having an opening for receiving the support and flared from its intermediate zone to its ends whereby the pulley is capable of angular movement with respect to the support, the ends of the inner member being convex, clamp washers having concave surfaces for coopc rating with the first named surfaces to hold the pulley in the selected position, and inter-fitting parts on the outer bearing member and washers for retainin the washers on the bearing means and for shielding the bearing means.

7. An alignable pulley for use on a support comprising a pulley body, bearing means on the body including inner and outer bearing members related 'for relative rotation and anti-friction elements engaged between the members, the inner member having an opening for receiving the support and fiared from its intermediate zone to its ends whereby the pulley is capable of angular movement with respect to the support, the ends of the inner member being convex, clamp washers having concave surfaces for cooperating with the first named surfaces to hold the pulley in the selected position, spherically curved skirts on the washers, and spherically curved skirts on the inner member overlapping the first named shirts to retain the washers and to shield the bearing means.

8. An alignable pulley for arrangement on a shaft comprising a pulley body, bearing means secured in the body, the bearing means including a bearing member capable of angular adjustment e,421,eas

' member and pulley body. a d retainers secured to the bearing means to be adjusted therewith upon angular adjustment of the member on the shaft and retaining said parts on the bearing means.

9. A self contained alignable pulley ior arrangement on a shaft comprising the assembly p! a pulley body, bearing means secured in the body and capable of angular adjustment on the support so that the pulley assembly may be adjusted with respect to the shaft, means for acting on the bearing means to maintain the adjustment or the assembly, and retaining elements secured to said assembly to be adjusted therewith and retaining the last named means on the said assembly to form permanent parts thereof.

ANDRE cao r.

ROBERT R. RICHOLT.

Immanuel-2s men The following rei'erences are of record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,279,887 Hatho'rn Apr. 14, 1942 2,349,084 Findley May 16, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 47,555 Sweden Oct. 5, 1918 Germany May 8, 1939 

